SVG, EPS, PDF, AI and DXF: Vector File Formats Compared
A clear comparison of the five vector formats you will meet most often: what each one is for, which programs open it, and which one to send to a printer, a sign maker, a laser cutter or a web developer.
"Can you send the logo as a vector?" The request sounds simple until you see the list of possible formats: SVG, EPS, PDF, AI, DXF and more. They all store vector shapes, but they come from different eras and industries, and each program prefers some over others. This guide explains the five formats you will meet most often and which one to choose for each job.
SVG — the open web standard
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is an open format published by the W3C, the organisation behind web standards. It is text-based (XML), so it can be read and edited even in a plain text editor.
- Best for: websites and apps, cutting machines (Cricut, Silhouette), laser software (LightBurn, Glowforge, xTool), and as a general exchange format between design tools.
- Opens in: every modern browser, Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma, Affinity Designer, CorelDRAW, Canva (upload), and most craft and laser software.
- Watch out for: some programs ignore advanced features such as filters or certain blend modes. Keep files simple — filled shapes and solid colors — for the widest compatibility.
PDF — the universal document
PDF (Portable Document Format) was created by Adobe and is now an ISO standard. A PDF can contain vectors, text and raster images together, which makes it the most common format for sending finished artwork to print shops.
- Best for: professional printing, sharing proofs with clients, documents that mix text and graphics.
- Opens in: any PDF reader for viewing; Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Inkscape and CorelDRAW for editing.
- Watch out for: a PDF is not automatically vector. If someone scanned a logo and saved it as PDF, it contains only a picture. Zoom in to check that edges stay sharp.
EPS — the veteran of print
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) dates from the 1980s and was for decades the standard way to place logos into page layouts. Many printers, promotional-products suppliers and embroidery shops still ask for it.
- Best for: older print workflows and suppliers who specifically ask for EPS.
- Opens in: Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Affinity Designer; Inkscape can import it with a helper program installed. Previews are often missing in ordinary image viewers.
- Watch out for: EPS has limited support for transparency, and modern software increasingly treats it as a legacy format. If a supplier accepts PDF, that is usually the better choice.
AI — Adobe Illustrator's own format
AI is the native file of Adobe Illustrator. It stores everything Illustrator knows about a document: artboards, layers, effects, editable text and more. Modern AI files are built on PDF, so many programs can at least open a flattened version.
- Best for: working files you will keep editing in Illustrator, and handing over source files to another Illustrator user.
- Opens in: Illustrator fully; Affinity Designer, CorelDRAW and Inkscape partially (often only when the file was saved with "PDF compatibility").
- Watch out for: without Illustrator you may lose effects, live text or layers. Ask for SVG or PDF if you do not use Illustrator.
DXF — the language of CAD and CNC
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) comes from Autodesk's AutoCAD and is the common format of engineering and manufacturing. It describes lines, arcs and polylines in real-world units.
- Best for: CNC routers, plasma and waterjet cutters, some laser systems, and anything that goes into CAD software.
- Opens in: AutoCAD, Fusion 360, LibreCAD, LightBurn, many CNC programs; Illustrator and Inkscape can import and export it.
- Watch out for: DXF has no real concept of colored fills; it is about outlines. Curves are sometimes split into many small segments on export, which can make machines move less smoothly. Check the result in the target software.
Other formats you might see
- CDR: CorelDRAW's native format, common in sign-making shops.
- PLT / HPGL: an old plotter language still used by some vinyl cutters.
- EMF / WMF: Windows vector formats, mainly for Microsoft Office.
- PES, DST and similar: embroidery machine formats. They are created by digitizing software, usually starting from a clean vector file.
Which format should you send?
- Web developer or website builder: SVG.
- Cricut, Silhouette, Glowforge, LightBurn, xTool: SVG. (Silhouette Basic Edition cannot open SVG; Designer Edition and above can.)
- Commercial printer: PDF (ask about their requirements), or EPS if they insist.
- Sign maker or vinyl shop: PDF, SVG or EPS; ask which they prefer.
- CNC or CAD workshop: DXF, or SVG if their software accepts it.
- Another designer who uses Illustrator: AI plus a PDF copy.
- Embroidery digitizer: a clean SVG, PDF or AI as the source artwork.
Converting between vector formats
Moving between vector formats is usually lossless for simple artwork made of filled shapes and solid colors. Open the SVG in Inkscape, Illustrator or Affinity Designer and use "Save As" or "Export" to write PDF, EPS or DXF. Effects, gradients and editable text are the things most likely to change, so keep artwork simple and convert text to outlines before sending files to production.
If you only have a raster image (PNG or JPG), you first need to turn it into vector shapes. An image vectorizer such as Vectorizo produces an SVG, which you can then save as any of the formats above.
Summary
SVG is the open, all-purpose format for web and crafts; PDF is the safest choice for print; EPS is the legacy print format some suppliers still request; AI is Illustrator's working file; DXF is for CAD and CNC machines. Keep one clean master vector of every important design, and you can produce any of them when someone asks.